


I Can't Believe You're Dancing

by Cooked_Rat



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: And very protective, Based in 1979, Bless John and his booty shorts, Brian HATES disco, Brian is kinda just... there, Freddie is low-key a matchmaker, He doesn't do much, He's going to have to get used to it though, Homophobia, Homophobic Slurs, John is 17, John just wants to protect him from all the bad stuff, John lives with his parents, M/M, Roger Freddie and Brian all live together, Roger doesn't like it, Roger has the hots for John, Roger is his own cock-blocker, Roger is progressive apparently, Roger's a bit of a spitfire, Roller Rink AU, Soft Boys, Soft Kisses, Some angst, The rest are 18, The writing gets better I SWEAR, Violence, a lot of disco, he's the sweetest, im bad at dialogue, it's mutual, sorry - Freeform, sorry Bri
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2020-01-31 12:58:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18591736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cooked_Rat/pseuds/Cooked_Rat
Summary: It's 1979, the time for partying and roller skating. Roger isn't all too happy when Freddie brings them to a disco themed roller rink, to say the least. Believing he would have no fun all night, it was kind of a surprise when he meets a handsome stranger. Besides his somewhat shy personality, John takes control of the whole rink with his graceful skating, everyone has their eyes on him. At least, that's what Roger thinks.Or : Roller Rink AU in which John is even more of a funky dude and Roger doesn't like disco, but thinks John is attractive and sweet so he's willing to overlook that aspect.





	1. Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my first fan fiction I'm posting... ever. And the first one that felt somewhat worthy enough to be posted. The writing is pretty bland and mediocre at best, I just really wanted to write this AU. I wrote this in a day, edited it for a few days (instead of doing work and trying to secure a future for myself lmao), and felt that if I didn't post it now, I wouldn't post it ever. Please read it to the end because that's when I got more into it. I'm already working on another chapter that might be up in a week or so...
> 
> This is VERY loosely based on a personal experience of mine. Just a small rundown, me and my friend went to this roller skating place near our houses and had a nice funky time, besides all the anxiety it gave me and the hurt wrist I got from falling. There was this really good and incredibly handsome skater, so I turned to my friend and said "He's an absolute legend, can he marry me pLeAse?". Then, she went up to him and said that I called him a legend, to which he reacted by coming over to my gay-panicking self, shook my hand, and said, "Thank you." It honestly made my night. Cheers to that guy. 
> 
> Anyways! I'll let you get to it. Let me know what you think. I desperately need improvement and will take anything I can get. Compliments, comments, criticism. Whatever you can offer :)

Of course Freddie had to drag them to a roller rink of all places. It was the late 70s, the age of disco, but did Roger like disco? No. Could he stand it? At times... maybe. It was most definitely not his preferred music of choice. He absolutely didn’t want to waste a few hours of his day (well, night) in uncomfortable skates and falling on his ass. Brian was even less excited about it than him, which put Brian in a far from favorable mood.

Freddie had made the argument that they needed to get out of their flat and have a bit of fun. This was not Roger’s idea of fun. Maybe a club or party, but absolutely not some kind of disco skating event.

They paid up front, rented their skates from a very disinterested teenage employee, and found a table to set all their stuff down on.

Brian was adamant about refusing to put his skates on, which resulted in Freddie chasing him into the bathroom to try and herd him into them. Roger couldn't stop himself from laughing at that, Brian should know at this point that there was no use in trying to run away from what Freddie wanted. Of course Freddie hadn’t really forced them to come, just strongly suggested it. They all wanted to hangout together, not able to usually due to school, work, and busy schedules, and Freddie said that this is all he’d be doing this weekend, even mentioning that he’s coming back next day. Apparently, he had made a few friends here that he wanted to introduce to his best mates.

Roger made use of his time. If he’s going to be dragged out to the rink and probably be pulled around by Freddie all night, he might as well speed up the torture. He isn’t very confident in his skating skills, never caring for practicing because he doesn't take much pleasure in it. He had skated a few times in his life, but the music and lighting didn't make it his favorite activity.

Lacing up the skates seemed easy enough, he slipped his foot through a skate, testing to make sure it would fit fine and not bother his ankles or toes. What he wasn’t quite expecting was for someone to come gliding past on their own skates, distracted in thought it seemed. Their skate got caught on Roger’s, launching them forward and landing on their hands and knees.

“Ow, shit.” They cursed.

Roger awkwardly limped over, the one skate on his foot making it hard. “Sorry, mate. I should’ve seen you were coming.” Besides the fact that the person had actually ran into Roger. He crouched down as the person turned to sit on their bottom. Now he could see the person clearly, he looked like your average disco fanatic. Short permed hair, booty shorts, and colorful clothes. The man looked about their age. He was attractive, smaller (beautifully grey) eyes, a good jawline, bigger nose, and nice lips. A little different looking, but attractive nonetheless. Roger was comfortable with his sexuality, he liked men, he liked women, it didn’t matter much to him. Whoever he found attractive, he found attractive, simple as that.

“No, sorry. I was the one lost in thought.” He chuckled somewhat nervously, waving it off, a slight embarrassed blush appeared on his face. Roger couldn’t help but find him kind of adorable.

Roger shook his head, “Here, let me help you up.” he stood and held out his hand. 

The man grabbed it and Roger hauled him up, “Thank you.” he gave Roger a gentle smile.

Roger gave him one back, “No problem.”

Roger let go of his hand and the man looked down a little awkwardly, “Well, I better get back out there.”

“Yeah.” Roger returned.

The man started coasting away towards the rink before glancing back, a little hesitantly Roger noticed, “Thanks again.” 

Roger just gave him a little nod and a lazy smile. He watched the man roll away until he was on the edge of the wooden rink. Moving back to his seat was a little weird, he had to hop on one leg so he didn’t slip. He noticed as he made his way to sit down that Freddie and Brian were back, Freddie sporting a cheeky smile. “What?” He chuckled.

“I see you’ve met John!” Freddie kept his obnoxious smile.

“Is that his name then?”

“Yup! I met him just a couple weeks ago.” Roger sat down next to Freddie, noticing Brian had his skates on and was making an effort of tying them. Freddie, ever the expert, already had his tied and ready. “It takes him a bit to warm up to people though. He’s a nervous one, that boy.”

“Is he our age?” Roger questioned. He was genuinely curious, but Freddie took it as him coming onto John, which wasn’t his exact idea, but he wasn’t quite opposed to it.

“Oh wow Roger, you’re really going in for him, huh?”

“It’s a normal question!” Roger grumbled, tying his skate and slipping the other one on.

“He’s about a year or so younger than you.” Freddie smirked.

“I think you should go for him Rog. You haven’t really settled down with someone in a while.” Brian added, beginning to tie his other skate, “It’d be a nice contrast from your usual shag.” Brian joked. Roger rolled his eyes. He enjoyed having sex! What’s so crazy about it? Commitment just wasn’t something he usually looked for. It isn’t like he hadn’t tried it out though. There were perks that came with boyfriends or girlfriends, he just hadn't found a good enough person in a while. What can he say, he has standards.

After their skates were on, Freddie was pushing both of them out onto the rink. Brian hugged the railing, trying not to lose his balance. Freddie was a great skater, but a better friend as shown when he stayed behind with the slower two. Roger didn’t like the feeling the skates gave him, but he wasn’t as unsure as Brian. He skated close to the edge, he was far from graceful, but at least he hadn’t fallen right as they got on the track. The bright lights bouncing off the disco ball mixed with the dark room, messing with Roger’s already bad vision. It was pretty annoying.

A few times, he had seen people skate by them who obviously spent most of their freetime there, gliding past with ease and beauty. To Roger’s surprise, John was among them. He always assumed the people who ruled the roller rink were overconfident assholes, having had run-ins with them before, but John just seemed like a sweet and somewhat shy guy. He bopped his head and swayed his hips to whatever disco song was playing. Roger was entranced to say the least. John’s lips pursed out and his eyes closed whenever he was feeling the music even more, a smile rising to his face. He would pick his skates up and put them down on the beat, long legs perfectly crossing whenever he would turn. Roger was a sucker for a nice pair of legs. Especially when said legs also led up to something even more eye-catching.

“It’s rude to stare you know.” Freddie whispered right into his ear, causing Roger to jolt in surprise, almost losing his balance. He gripped onto the railing, bringing himself to a full stop right besides Brian.

“Jesus Fred, don’t do that.” Roger said after catching his breath, Brian chuckling beside him.

“He’s got a nice arse though right!” Freddie said excitedly, grabbing Roger’s arm.

“Oh my god.” Roger groaned, he could feel the heat creeping into his face from being caught in the act of watching John, and the fact that Freddie was right. He desperately wished under the dim lighting that freddie wouldn’t notice his blush, but to no avail.

Freddie let out a hoot of laughter, “You like him!” he smiled broadly as Roger covered his face in his hands. Brian’s chuckling becoming louder, more like a cackle now.

“Oh, look!” He turned away from Roger, “Here he comes, I’ll call him over.” Freddie said, seemingly exhilarated by Roger’s sudden embarrassment.

Roger uncovered his face, trying to reach out and somehow silence Freddie, “What?! Freddie n-” 

“JOHN!” Freddie shouted, trying to wave over the man whose eyes shot open from being lost in the beat of “Good Times” by Chic.

Once John noticed Freddie, he slowed down and skated towards them with a smile.

“These are my two mates I told you were coming today.” He smiled sweetly at John, gesturing to Roger and Brian. John then noticed Roger and smiled bashfully, probably still embarrassed by his previous fall.

“How could you even know we were coming, you only asked us today!” Brian exclaimed, frowning.

“I always get my way, darling.” He patted Brian’s cheek who swatted it away with a small chuckle, “Anyways, the stubborn newborn giraffe is Brian.” Roger let out a bark of laughter at that because Brian really did look like one, with his legs all akimbo and tangled up. John let out a little suppressed giggle, raising his hand up to his mouth to try and hide his amusement. Brian just rolled his eyes. “And this is our resident hothead, Roger.” Roger let out a huff and shook his head with a fond smile, “But apparently, you two have met already.”

“Well, not properly.”John smiled nervously, “I tripped over his skate on accident.” he said quietly.

“Wow Roger, are you already getting my sweet John falling head over heels for you?” Freddie asked incredulously, gasping.

Roger decided to play along, “How could I not try when he has dance moves like those?” he said, winking at a flushed John. Smooth, he thought, mentally patting himself on the back.

“Ah, I see.” Freddie gave them a playful grin, “Maybe John here could show you some more of those, if he’ll let you skate with a professional such as himself.”

“I mean, if he’ll let me.” Roger shrugged, trying to act nonchalant but inside really hoping John will say yes, even if he isn’t very good at skating.

“Well, I’m no professional surely,” John said humbly, “but if you want to…” he trailed off, smiling softly.

“Great!” Freddie beamed, clasping his hands together, “Come along Bri, let’s give your poor legs some rest.” he started pushing Brian towards one of the few breaks in the railing, probably going to sit in a little area where they could still watch the other two.

Roger looked over to John, who obviously had a lot of nervous energy, so Roger tried to break the ice, “I’ve never really skated before.” Roger admitted, gripping the railing tighter.

John giggled, “Yeah, I can kind of tell.” Roger joined him, laughing at both his inexperience and the awkwardness of the situation. A small surge of confidence seemed to overtake John, something Roger was thankful for. “Come on, I can teach you a few things.” He said, grabbing a hold of Roger’s forearm, bringing them away from the railing. He was basically dragging Roger along, so he had to slow down a bit to make sure Roger was comfortable. 

“First, try and straighten your body. You can’t move as well all hunched up.” He said with a hint of amusement present in his voice.

Roger made the correction and stood up straighter, “I’m a fast learner John. I assure you, once I get the hang of this, I'll be skating circles around you.” Roger replied with a smirk, trying to impress John a bit with his confidence.

John made a thoughtful face, “If you’re so confident, maybe I should just stop trying to help you.” he joked, letting go of Roger’s arm and beginning to drift away from him. 

Roger immediately regretted trying to woo John in such a cocky way, more concerned in not having a sore ass in the morning (and not in the good way), he shot an arm out and gripped John’s hand, “No, wait! Don’t leave me stranded!” he complained, not even really noticing he had grabbed John’s hand. He did notice the red filling John’s face, who was looking down at their joined hands. Roger let go near instantly, “Ah, sorry.” he said, a bit embarrassed.

“Wait,” John grabbed Roger’s and, “I-I don’t mind.” he said quietly, intertwining their fingers. At this point, both of them were blushing madly, avoiding eye contact and acting like young kids with their first crush.

John began skating again, pulling Roger along by his hand, trying to correct him and avoid both of them toppling over because of their joined hands. 

 

~~~

 

He didn’t even know what they were laughing about at this point. Something about how Roger and Brian ended up at the roller rink, he thinks. All Roger really knows, it that he really likes John. He felt like he could get drunk off of his laughter and presence alone. John had opened up quite a bit since when they first met, seemingly comfortable with Roger and calmed by his personality.

After the initial awkwardness of their first encounter and then Roger being horrible on the rink, John helping him immensely in that section, they had been skating and talking for long enough for Roger’s legs to begin to ache. But he doesn’t dare get off the rink yet, enjoying talking to John way too much. He had learned that John was fresh out of secondary school, the same as Roger, Freddie, and Brian. None of the four know exactly what they want to study at a University yet, but John said that he had always loved tinkering with electronics, maybe he’d study electrical engineering. John’s favorite food was cheese on toast apparently, an odd choice, but Roger would gladly make some just to make John smile. He really liked John’s smile. John also had a little gap between his front teeth which Roger thought was one of the most adorable things he’d ever seen, even with John trying to cover it whenever he laughs. Roger told him not to, even said it was cute! Which in turn, made John blush profusely and call him sweet. He considered that a score in his book. Apparently, John didn't like crowds really, which was a bit odd since the rink had a good amount of people on it. Roger asked why he skated so much if crowds were a fear of his, John just explained that he knew a lot of people there, he was comfortable. Plus, he said he was alright at skating (Roger thought he was being too humble, if anyone had seen John, they'd agree he was definitely talented), so it helps that he doesn't embarrass himself much. 

They had taken a few breaks, either that be for water, the restroom, or a small snack. But they would always wait for each other and hop back on the rink together. Roger's hand would always find John's, whether it be because he had grasped John’s or John had taken a hold of him. Either way, it was obvious that each of them were enjoying spending time with the other, swapping smiles and small glances.

They were hand in hand again at this point, similar to various couples on the rink. Skating at a steady pace, Roger felt comfortable enough that he would fall without his grasp on John, but didn’t really have the urge to let go.

But if there had to be a favorite moment from that night, Roger would say it was when “Boogie Wonderland” by Earth, Wind, & Fire came on. John’s face lit up instantly at the beginning beat, recognizing it very quickly, “This is one of my favorites!” he exclaimed as he turned to Roger. He had a huge grin on his face and Roger couldn’t stop himself from smiling also, almost as brightly as John. “C’mon.” Roger said, skating a little faster, “Do you know how to dance with someone while you’re skating?” he asked.

“Well, yes.” John replied, smiling widely at Roger, “But I should probably lead. You might just fall on your arse if you do.” he giggled, this time not covering his mouth.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” Roger replied, chuckling along.

Once he was in front of Roger, John turned around and took hold of Roger’s forearms, Roger twisting his own so he could hold onto John’s also. John was gliding backwards so effortlessly and graciously that Roger couldn’t take his eyes off him for even a second. He wasn’t doing much, more or less being pulled forward by John at a steady pace. Every now and then, John looked backwards, making sure he didn’t run into anyone. At some point, John had started lip syncing the words, matching the song perfectly. Roger could even hear him singing in a small voice, probably assuming he wasn't able to tell, catching a quiet, “Sound fly through the night, I chase my vinyl dreams to boogie wonderland.” coming from John. He found it quite endearing.

When Roger first arrived at the skating rink, he really hated the lights, but now he saw how wonderfully they complimented John’s face. The red and blue mingling with his brown hair and shining through the little curls. His eyes seemed like they were shining, and his smile. He was absolutely breathtaking, and Roger just felt like he had to voice his opinion.

“You’re really beautiful you know?” He said before he could really think about it, quiet enough for only John to hear. Although, that wasn't hard with everyone else completely lost in their own worlds, as Roger had come to realize was pretty normal on the rink. Roger didn’t miss the way John’s eyes widened and the gorgeous flush returned to his face at the compliment. His smile got bigger, if that was even possible. Roger felt like melting. Usually he wasn't such a sap, but John seemed to be making him a bit softer. 

“You’re one to talk, everything about you is stunning.” John replied, maintaining eye contact. Sometimes he was so shy and then other times he could be as confident as Roger. He'd be lying if it didn't leave him a bit dizzy for varying reasons. But now it was Roger’s turn to blush. He wasn’t new to compliments, but for it to be spoken from John’s seemingly perfect lips was entirely different. Roger felt his own smile grow into something he hoped expressed how he was really beginning to feel about John. Sure, he had only known him for a night, but Freddie obviously approves, which is always the opposite for the people Roger usually chooses. Maybe John liked him as much as he did. He hoped so, because he could feel himself falling harder every minute spent with John.

 

~~~

 

When they finally made their way off the rink, Freddie rushed up to them with elation very evident in his face and body language. Brian looked incredibly worn out, slouching in his seat and nursing a cup of water, it was obvious that Freddie had ended up dragging him around even more after they disappeared earlier.

He had probably been watching them a bit throughout the night, making sure they got along well, “I knew you two would hit it off well.” He sighed happily and somewhat relieved, “I take all the credit.” he said with a sly smile.

“I’d like to think it was my charm that won him over.” Roger said proudly, playing along with Freddie.

“Well if it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t even know him, so you’re welcome.” Freddie smiled smugly. Roger only shrugged, he’d definitely have to thank him for this some time, just not now.

“You never know,” John cut in, “Maybe in a reality without Freddie, Roger actually likes disco and came here all by himself.” he said, nudging Roger’s side.

“Absolutely not.” Roger huffed in feigned annoyance, “The only person who could ever convince me to consider disco, would probably be John. And I wouldn’t have even known him yet.” Roger folded his arms over his chest.

“Well done Johnny!” Freddie wrapped an arm around John’s shoulders, “You might just convert Roger to our side.” he said with a chuckle.

“Might?” John started playing along, “More like will,” he said confidently, “By the end of this year, I will win Roger over.” he shot a playful look at Roger who just smiled, giving into the warm feeling that John had planted in his chest.

“Can we go home yet?” Brian whined from his seat. His skates had been flung haphazardly by his feet, Brian’s leg was propped up on his other one, massaging it.

Freddie cackled, probably satisfied in his physical and mental torture for the night, “Yes Bri, we can go home now.” his skates were off as well, settled nicely close to Brian’s.

Roger wouldn’t say he didn’t want to go home but… he really didn’t want to go home. Admittedly, he wanted to hangout with John more.

Freddie seemed to pick up on his slight disappointment and made Brian stand up with him to turn in their skates, ignoring Brian’s grumblings of annoyance. They made their way over to the counter, leaving John and Roger alone. Roger wanted to keep in touch with John, maybe something good could come from this. He could only hope.

“Did Freddie ever get your telephone number?” Roger asked.

“Yeah, actually. I gave it to him a little while ago, so he should have it. Assuming he didn’t lose it.” John rolled his eyes fondly.

Roger chuckled, understanding that it's completely logical for Freddie to have lost it. He really didn't want this night to end though, it's been one of the best he's had in quite a while. Plus, he met someone new! Someone he hoped he would see a lot more of. After a slight pause he added, “Thank you.” 

“What for?” John asked, cocking his head, a small smile present on his face.

“For making tonight fun.” He grinned at John, “and for not making me suffer with them.” he said as an afterthought, nodding to where Brian and Freddie had gone.

“Of course.” John smiled sweetly and Roger was really fed up with how cute he was, so of course, he does the only rational thing someone could do in that situation. After taking a quick look around to make sure he couldn't see anyone watching, Roger leans in and presses a quick and chaste kiss to his cheek, smiling at John’s blush that instantly rises to his face after he leans back. 

“I’ll see you again?” Roger asks, hopeful.

“Yeah, I'm sure you will.” He answers with a sweet smile and a lovely twinkle in his eyes.

John thought for a second, “I’ll be here tomorrow again if you want to come back with Freddie.” he informed Roger, smile turning a bit sheepish.

“Until tomorrow then.” Roger said with finality. He watched as John made his way back to the rink, turning back to give him a small wave. Roger just grins as John returns a shy smile of his own and skates back onto the rink with ease. Roger doesn’t know how John isn't tired of skating yet, but then again, it's where he felt most comfortable, so maybe he wouldn't ever run out of love for the rink.

Roger rolled over to his seat and began untying his roller skates, looking up when he sees two pairs of feet approaching him. Freddie and Brian face him with a knowing look, all smug and self-satisfied.

“Just say it.” Roger joked as he continued to untie his skates.

“You’re absolutely smitten.” Brian supplied.

Roger just shrugged, trying to hide his overexcited smile with his knees. They were right. He was falling for a roller skating disco fan with a damn good arse.

 

~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter title is from a song called "Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll" by Vaughan Mason and Crew.
> 
>  
> 
> ~~~
> 
>  
> 
> You've made it to the eNd! Thanks for reading, feedback is much appreciated on my end. You don't have to say anything though, just knowing people are reading this makes me happy haha. The work title is from Dancer off the Hot Space album (very underrated might I add).
> 
> As I mentioned before, I'll probably make a second chapter, probably even a third. I'm not sure if I'll make anything more for this AU after that, it depends on if I can come up with anything or any reason to continue it. I really enjoyed writing this so I hope you enjoyed reading!
> 
> Also, I had to research the England schooling system a bit because, for an American, it's quite confusing. If there are any Brits reading this, tell me if I got something wrong. It's a small part of the chapter but I want it to be correct.
> 
> Big thanks to Cicadas for giving me tips and basically persuading me to post this. Please check out their Dealor fic "one and three sevenths" because it makes me weep with how good it is skdjksnx  
> ILY man!!


	2. Lost Inside, Adorable Illusion and I Cannot Hide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roger gets into a fight, John tries to make it better.
> 
> Warning for homophobia and homophobic slurs, plus a bit of angst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For context : at this point, Roger and John had been dating for about two months.
> 
> Surprisingly, this chapter is longer than the first one. Originally this was supposed to have more stuff happening in it but I felt like where I left it was a good place to end the chapter.
> 
> I would've gotten this chapter up earlier but I had been sick since Friday. I definitely didn't feel well enough to edit the chapter and I had been busy with school on top of that. I'm better now though! I've still got a cough but it's nothing I can't handle haha. Feedback is always appreciated of course. Thank you to everyone who left kudos and comments on the first chapter! It made me so happy and definitely motivated me to write more of this story. I've got a few ideas for what to write next too :)

It was a normal night at the rink, around 8:00 pm or so on a Saturday. Roger and John were both off of work and their schedules were free so they could stay as long as they wanted. Since John was a regular, he had his own pair of skates he kept in a little bag, and would get in for a lower price. Apparently he was friends with the manager. Because Roger was his boyfriend, and practically everyone there knew, the discount was extended onto him. The roller rink they went to was probably one of the most accepting places for anyone who was anything other than straight. There were constantly many gay couples scattered around, gliding along or eating or talking. It was something Roger appreciated, and something he could tell John was happy about too. There was no judgement at the rink, it was an escape for most of the people there. It's nice to be able to hold John's hand without wandering eyes and rude looks. He also liked that they could save more meaningful touches and words for whenever they're alone, it made them more intimate than they already were.

They had gotten some food before making their way over, some simple cheap stuff from a fast food place nearby. Roger should probably invest in some skates of his own if he was going to continue going to the rink. It was cheaper if you brought your own, and Roger wanted to start saving up for when he finally went to a university and the amount of money in his bank account plummeted from not being able to work as much. 

Once they paid the needed admission fee and walked into the regular skating area, a big smile stretched over John's face. His mood affected Roger's too, causing a wide grin to form. He couldn't help it! John's smile was so contagious and wonderful, he didn't know how people couldn't look at him and feel instantly happy and comfortable. Roger was glad that he was one of the few people who got to see all aspects and moods of John. It made him feel special.

The rink was about as packed as it usually was on weekend nights. A lot of teenagers liked to hangout and skate a bit when they didn't have school, trying to have as much fun as possible before going back on Monday.

Roger reached up and smoothed the palm of his hand against John's arm, “I'm gonna go and get some skates.”

John gave him a warm smile, “Okay, I'll find us a place to set our stuff.” 

Roger moved over to the counter, handing the employee his ticket. He didn't even need to tell her his size, she already moved away to get his usual pair. As she returned with the skates, Roger thanked her and moved away. A new song started up, one he almost instantly recognized as “Heart of Glass” by Blondie. 

As he reached where John was sitting and lacing up his skates, John looked up as Roger shot him a knowing smile. John grinned excitedly back, “One of my favorites.” he said, beginning to tie his laces even faster. Roger followed his lead, plopping down and quickly tying his own pair up. Roger learned early on that one of John's favorite bands was Blondie, never passing up a chance to groove to their music. Roger really loved John's dance moves. The way he moved and shifted his body put Roger in a trance. All he wanted to do was be close to John, holding him and feeling his body move against his.

The song was probably about halfway through when they finally made it out to the rink. Roger rested a hand around John's waist, keeping them in sync as they skated together. Roger hummed the sweet melodies and occasionally sang along, he didn't mind this song that much. 

Eventually, Roger had gained enough confidence to turn them so he was skating backwards, leading the two of them. He gripped John's forearms, mimicking they way John had done so when they first met. A surprised expression came over John, Roger had never led the two of them, he must have thought he didn't know how to. But whenever John was too busy to hangout, Roger would go down to the rink with Freddie, making him give Roger secret lessons so that he could impress John. It seemed to be working. A proud yet shocked smile rose to John's face, “Since when did you know how to skate backwards?”.

“I know how to do lots of things.” Roger smirked, looking behind him briefly to watch out for anyone. When he turned back around, John had a fond look on his face, his mouth was turned upwards in a perfect closed mouth smile. His eyes were soft and pretty as ever. Roger wanted to kiss him so badly in that moment. Although, skating and kissing was quite a hard feat. Roger's smile turned genuine then, his whole face softened as he embraced the feeling of John's company. Of course, his skating was a bit slower than John's, having to look back behind him even more than he does, a bit anxious he'll run into someone. He can see John is happy nonetheless. Roger hopes he knows that he'd do a whole lot more than just learning how to skate backwards for him. He'd gladly prove that to him whenever he gets the chance.

The song changed at some point, going from the smooth falsetto of Debbie Harry, to a funkier beat from The Sylvers, “Boogie Fever” to be more precise. Roger let go of his grip on John, settling beside him as they bopped to the beat. Of course, Roger couldn't compete with John's dancing, perfectly fine with eventually dropping back and watching him move his body to the rhythm. John twirled and bounced around, he obviously knew Roger would just hang back and watch. When Roger had first started pulling this trick, John had been a bit embarrassed, but now it was like it egged him on, making his body move that little bit more. Roger absolutely loved it.

 

~~~

 

They had continued skating for an hour or so, taking little breaks for water or to just sit and talk. Sometimes someone would come around and talk to them (mainly John), usually one of his skating buddies or an employee. Roger never got jealous that easily, but whenever someone would come up, he found himself leaning in closer to John, making sure they knew that they were together. A few times John would lean back into him, bumping their shoulders together or leaning his head a little to the side, closer to Roger's, acknowledging him rather than pushing him away.

Deciding they'd hang around Freddie, Brian, and Roger's flat for the remainder of the night, and most likely have John stay over, they got their last bit of skating energy out. Roger returned his skates, mentally reminding himself to scrounge up enough loose money to get his own pair.

As they walked out of the building, it had completely slipped Roger's mind that he had tangled their hands together. They had done it so many times that it felt completely natural. He forgot that they were out in the open now, not in the safety and warmth of the rink, but he was jolted back to reality before he could realize his mistake.

“See mate, I told ya this is where all those fucking queers go!” Slurred someone to their right, causing John to rip his hand away from Roger's. He didn't have time to feel disappointed by it, more focused on whoever was obviously drunk and yelling offensive slurs. They turned towards the voice, there was one man leaning against the brick of the building, pointing towards Roger and John, the other had a pained expression on his face, trying to pull the other man away.

“Jesus, Michael, shut up.” The sober one hissed, glancing towards them with an apologetic look.

“No, I told you that these disco thingies are where they all gather.” The man, apparently named Michael, snapped. He was obviously insulting them, his voice was harsh and sharp. He must've been looking for a fight or to get a rise out of someone, if he was, he definitely succeeded.

“What the fuck?” Roger growled, moving forward to confront the two. John let out a rushed, “Wait.” trying to stop Roger from walking over, ending up just following him as he confronted the men.

“What did you say?” Roger asked, not wanting to believe they were talking about John and himself.

Michael stumbled over the rest of the way to Roger, his friend cursing as he did, following Michael, “I said,” he jabbed a finger into Roger's chest. Roger swatted it away. “You're a poof.” 

“Come on Roger, drop it.” John pleaded behind him, gripping onto the back of Roger's shirt, tugging lightly. He turned to look at him, anger lessening significantly at the scared look on John's face. “Please.” John said quietly, he looked pale and panicked. His eyes darted between Roger and the men behind him.

“Look at them though!” Michael and his friend had apparently been having a conversation of their own, “I mean, that one's clothes are queer as anything!” Roger whipped his head around, he was gesturing towards John. “Only fairies wear stuff like that. They were even holding hands when they walked out!” He sounded like a whining baby, complaining about people living their lives differently than him.

Using a slur against them was one thing, but insulting John was a whole different situation. Yeah, maybe John's shorts were shorter than the usual pair, but clothing doesn't determine what someone is or who they are. Roger's rage surged, growing red hot and stiff in his chest. He put a hand on the man's shoulder, turning him to completely face Roger.

“You're a piece of shit.” Roger spat.

Michael huffed a humourless laugh, “It isn't my fault you lot are fucked in the head.” he snarled, so close to Roger they were nearly nose to nose.

Roger shoved him back, Michael stumbling into his friend who helped keep him on his feet. His face went red with anger, coming at Roger with his arm pulled back, landing a ridiculously hard hit on Roger’s right eye, considering all the alcohol he'd obviously consumed. Roger staggered back from the force, he heard John's soft panicked cry, then the pain spread all around his face. The adrenaline was rushing through him too fast to focus on that right now, his priority was the prick in front of him. He grabbed Michael by the shoulders and kneed him fast and hard in the stomach, the alcohol slowing down the other man's reactions. He doubled over with a wince, Michael's friend trying to drag him away almost instantly. He grasped his shoulders, turning him away from Roger and John, “I'm sorry!” he called to them as they slowly trudged down the street. Roger wanted to go after them, give that Michael guy more than a sore stomach, and teach him not to judge people just for who they love. It isn't like this is their fault. They were born this way, so of course they're going to make the best of it. No matter what people say.

John grabbed his arm and turned him around, Roger was breathing heavily from the adrenaline and pain now making itself known in his eye, forcing him to squint. He could feel a strong ache growing there, making it a little bit harder to concentrate. John's face was twisted in deep concern. His brows knitted together and his mouth was fixed in a grimace. Roger wanted nothing more than to smooth out the crease his brows were forming and reassure him that everything was and will be alright. But he couldn't. Because it wasn't. 

“Shit, Rog.” He reached his other hand up, pushing his skating bag further up his shoulder, hesitating as he settled his hand on Roger's jaw, turning his injured eye towards him. He winced, “It's all red and swelling.” he swallowed, “You'll probably have a black eye.” his eyes grew sadder. Roger gripped at his hips, slowly lowering the uninjured side of his head onto John's shoulder, slipping his arms through to wrap around the small of his back. It started to hurt more when he tried to blink, resulting to closing his eyes. John moved his hand to the nape of Roger's neck, sighing and giving into the embrace. There weren't many people on the street, but you could never be too careful.

“Let's go back to yours. We can take care of it there.” John spoke softly, pushing Roger's chest lightly, moving him off of John.

“Okay.” Roger looked up at John with his good eye, his expression had softened, but there were still lingering traces of concern and paleness. Roger honestly wishes he could just kiss it better, but he doubts John is really in the mood. He wanted to tell John he was sorry for not letting go of his hand early enough, for getting into a fight, for being hot-headed. But he also didn't want to. He was trying to defend John, and himself. He knows John can take care of himself, but dammit he couldn't have just let that guy go on and on about how being homosexual was a disgrace, or about how John's clothing made him gay. His close-mindedness was revolting, making Roger so angry he felt nauseous, or maybe that was the blow to his face. He just hopes he never sees Michael again, he wouldn't be able to hold back from landing as many hits on him as he could.

 

~~~

 

“Tilt your head back a bit.” Roger does as he's told. Currently sat in the dining room of Freddie, Brian, and Roger's shared flat, John began pressing an ice pack to Roger's hurt eye. The pain had gotten worse as they walked home, going from a heated ache to more of an intense, burning pound. Continuously throbbing licks of fire spread throughout his face, the most painful area being right around his eye. If you looked closely, you could probably see the beginnings of a black eye, just a faint blue hovering under the skin, among his closed eye and the redness and swelling. He's had black eyes before, and this one definitely wasn't the worst. It would probably only last a handful of days, nothing too serious. Roger was glad Freddie and Brian weren't home, he couldn't deal with their scolding right now. It was late and Roger was exhausted, both mentally and physically. He could only image John feels the same. John didn't speak much to him on the walk home, Roger figured it was because he didn't have much to say at the moment, but he couldn't shake the uneasiness weighing down his stomach that he was angry at Roger. He knows it seems ridiculous, would John really be angry with him? He's not sure. John's hard to understand sometimes, not even Roger can get into his head when he gets like this. Sometimes he becomes closed off, his face set in a neutral tone, obviously trying to hide his true emotions.

Roger closed his other eye, letting the cold soothe his wound, even though it didn't help all that much. He tried not to wince whenever John put a little too much pressure on his eye, but a small pained grunt slipped from his lips. John pulled his hand back almost immediately, “Sorry.” his tone was apologetic. Roger cracked opened his good eye, John's brow was furrowed again, his mouth set in a tight, thin line. Roger sighed through his nose, bringing his hands up to settle lightly on John's hips, leaning forward to rest his forehead on John's chest. John set the ice pack down and wrapped his arms around Roger's head, as if he was trying to protect him from everything bad in the world. Roger did feel safer in John's arms, right about now, he'd take whatever embrace he could get.

“I'm sorry.” Roger spoke softly, not quite wanting to disrupt the silence of the flat, but feeling the need to.

“For what?” His voice was quiet, Roger could feel him breathing, his chest moving up and down in a constant rhythm. It calmed him.

“Aren't you angry at me?” He tightened his grip on John's hips. Roger was a little upset with himself at least, he probably shouldn't have poked the fire already sparking in that drunk guy.

There was a pause, John began threading his hands through Roger's hair slowly, if it was supposed to pacify his nerves, it was working. “No, Roger,” His voice was understanding, he probably knew what was going on in Roger's head. He usually did. Was Roger really that simple to figure out? Or was John just good at these types of things?

“I just,” He continued, taking in a deep breath, “I don't want you to go through stuff like that,” he sounded sad and empathetic. “It isn't fun.” John finished, his hands now stilled in Roger's hair, rather than the methodical combing he had been doing before. It was like he was trying to hold on to something, as if Roger was going anywhere.

Roger tried to lift his head, John releasing him, settling his hands on his shoulders instead. His face was distressed, eyes downcast and frown deep. It sounded like he was speaking from personal experience. The thought made his heart break, he never wanted to imagine anyone hurting John, but he knows it happens to a lot of people who are even just a little bit different.

“Has it ever happened to you?” Roger tried to make his tone sound soft and curious, rather than how he actually felt - scared and concerned. He was afraid his suspicions were proven right when John hesitated at the question.

“No,” He swallowed, Roger watched his adam's apple bob up and down. “but it has happened to a few of my friends. People like that come around the rink sometimes. Nothing too horrible ever happens, a few swings and mean words usually.” His eyes settled on the ground. John's experience worried Roger. He believed what he said, nothing like that had happened to John, but he felt bad for his friends. Roger could never wish any kind of discrimination against anyone. He was grateful nothing had happened to John, he would have felt guilty for not being there if something actually went wrong, even if Roger hadn't met him yet. He feels the need to protect John. He knows it's silly, but he's incredibly protective when it comes to John. He also feels guilty for thinking John can't handle himself, because of course he can. He's only about a year younger than Roger, he's been without him this long and hasn't been attacked before. 

“It’s just kind of scary I guess” John mumbled, “especially when I saw it happen to you.” he looks back up at Roger, a serious and meaningful look in his eyes. There was an obvious hint of affection and care there too, making Roger's tense exterior soften a little. John cares as much for Roger as he does for John. 

Now it was Roger's turn to embrace John. He stood up, enveloping John's narrow shoulders with his arms, pulling him into a strong hug. John tucked his face into Roger's neck and sighed, his breath tickling the soft skin there. He could feel John relaxing, taking a deep breath and getting comfortable in the crook of Roger's neck.

“They're all just assholes.” He spoke into John's hair, placing a small kiss to the side of his head.

John leaned back, bringing his face just far enough to reconnect their eyes. All he really wanted to do now was stay close to John and try to make the night better. John seemed to have thought the same, leaning in and pressing his lips to Roger's. It was sweet and natural, successfully bringing a tiny smile out of Roger.

When John pulled back, he searched Roger's face for any kind of signal to continue. Roger just smiled wider, silently asking him to keep going. John closed the gap between them again, this time a little more needy. He tilted his head to the side, prompting Roger to do so as well. With the better angle, they slotted their lips together comfortably. 

The kiss became more heated, one of Roger's hands wandering to rest on his nape, the other still situated on his shoulder. John dragged his hands up to Roger's waist, pressing into him. John was nipping at his lower lip needingly, Roger opened his mouth more to make room for him. John hummed into his mouth as their tongues and lips clashed. John's hands crawled up his shirt, skating over the bumps of his spine, leaving goosebumps in their wake. Roger groaned into their kiss, trying to ignore how close their bodies were and how tight his pants would get if they went any further than snogging. But when John pulled away from the kiss and looked at Roger half-dazed and out of breath, he couldn’t help it when his own breath caught. His lips were red and somewhat puffy from kissing, the singular yellow light above them somehow amplifying their color. John looked absolutely stunning, Roger couldn't think of anyone who held the beauty and grace John had and yet still looked masculine, it was really unbelievable. He loved every aspect of it. Roger dove his head down onto the side of John's neck, mindful of his hurt eye, and started kissing and sucking at the smooth skin there. John turned his head towards the opposite direction, welcoming Roger's mouth on his skin. He left a trail of kisses from the base of his neck up to John's jawline, already able to see little love bites forming. He leaned back, loving the sight of John. His hair was a little messier than usual, eyes lidded and soft. He stroked the back of John's neck affectionately, enjoying their closeness.

“Can I suck you off?” John asked, staring into Roger's eyes intently. Roger's eyes widened, he really didn't know what to say. John could be straightforward when he wanted to, but they've never done anything like that before. Yes, they've made out and held hands and hugged, but nothing that explicit. Of course, Roger wasn't opposed. At all. His pulse quickened at the mere thought of John close to his crotch in any way. But his head really does hurt. He was able to forget about it for the short amount of time they were kissing, but the lack of oxygen to his brain from said activity made his head throb painfully. Not to mention he's absolutely spent from everything that happened that night, from skating and dancing, to the fight, and then to their kissing that had left them both breathless. The throbbing in his eye reminding him of his bad situation. He really wasn't in any condition to do anything more physically exhausting, even if he wouldn't do much. He'd probably pass out if he got any more light-headed and dizzy than he already was. Plus Freddie and Brian could be home at anytime, and he really did not want to be caught with his cock stuck in John's mouth. Roger nearly blushed at the thought. Needless to say, he's completely and utterly drained and being caught out would be very embarrassing for the both of them.

At Roger's silence, lost in thought, John's face grew redder by the second. He was probably embarrassed, shocked by his own question, maybe too caught up in the moment. He slipped his hands out of Roger's shirt, “Sorry, I didn't mean to-”

“No, it's okay,” Roger grabbed John's hands and bit his lip, “uhh… raincheck?” he asked quietly, smiling shyly.

John just nodded, still flushed, avoiding eye contact. Roger brought his hand off his shoulder, resting it on his cheek, sweeping his thumb over the blush residing there.

“You want to head to bed?” He asked. John stayed over at their place quite a bit, preferring there rather than his parents house. Plus, they usually wanted to spend as much time with each other as possible without being too excessive. Freddie had set some ground rules though, telling them, “No fucking while the other two are in.” which made Roger roll his eyes and groan, not missing the rosy tint rise to John's face.

“Okay.” John answered with a tiny closed-mouth smile accompanying his response. 

Roger grabbed the ice pack off the table, “I'm going to take a painkiller first. You can change into something of mine.” he leaned in and pecked John's cheek, resting a hand on his forearm, the touch lingering as he made his way into the kitchen. He put the ice pack back in the freezer as John moved into his bedroom. It would be too much trouble to try and sleep with it, probably ending up lost in the maze of limbs and bedsheets. He fished around the cabinets for the pill bottle, once he found it, he pulled out a glass and filled it with water. Roger swallowed the pill and chased it down with gulps of water. He hoped it would stave off the pain for a while, or at least long enough for him to get some rest.

Making his way over to his room, he smiled from the doorway at John who was resting his head in his hand, obviously struggling to keep his eyes open. He had stripped down to his boxers and changed into one of Roger's bigger t-shirts. Tired John was always one of Roger's favorites, although everything about John was a favorite of his. Roger closed the door and slipped his shoes and socks off, peeled off his tight pants, and took off his shirt, only leaving his boxers on. He plopped into bed and got under the covers, turning the lamp off before he put an arm around John's waist. It was convenient that John turned onto his left side as Roger had gotten into bed, so he didn't have to lay on his hurt eye. He pulled him closer, whispering a goodnight before closing his eyes. He heard John whisper a goodnight back, feeling his hand wrap around Roger's. He smiled to himself, tangling their legs together even more. Roger loved cuddling with his boyfriend, there weren't many things better than sweet little moments like that. The pain was still pulsating in his eye, the pill would take a little while before taking full effect and easing the pain. He was content with just listening to John's steady breathing for now, quickly falling asleep in his arms.

Eventually, Roger's thoughts drifted to the point of unconsciousness, falling into a calm slumber.

 

~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is from "Heart of Glass" by Blondie (a favorite band of mine, please give them a listen. They were also a favorite of John's irl!)
> 
> Fun fact : Originally, I was going to actually have John give Roger a bj but I decided against it. More or less, I was too lazy and I'm still not that confident in my writing. Maybe I'll write some smut in a future chapter...
> 
> Also, if anyone wants to see whatever I'm writing at the moment (and updates about it) or basically just see me reblog a bunch of pictures of the band and occasionally other things, my Tumblr is cooked-rat. Same as here.


	3. I'm in Heaven Every Time I Look at You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roger deals with his hurt eye and a jittery John. They get an unexpected visitor...  
> TW for smelly socks and soft 'lil kisses.
> 
> This is kind of angsty??? I've always thought I'm bad at angst because I don't take anything seriously but... this is okay? IDK, you tell me :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long! My reasoning is at the end. 
> 
> All these characters have a bit of me in them. Even the supposed assholes. I add a touch of myself to all of them, and love them dearly.
> 
> Also, I'm very happy you all like my humor! It's what I think I'm best at. I always like making people laugh.
> 
> I only went through and edited this once (and I usually do more than that), so if there are any errors, let me know!

Waking up alone was weird. Roger reached out to try and find any warmth or indication that John was actually there. Nothing. He sighed through his nose. There was stinging around his eye, but nothing too horrible. As he tried to open his eyes, he found the right one a little stiff. Roger was only able to open it halfway or so. 

Brushing the stray hair out of his face, mindful of his injury, he sat up slowly. It left him dizzy, causing him to close his eyes again and steady himself against the headboard. He had to squint against the bright morning light once he opened them again. Looking over at his clock, he saw it was nearly ten in the morning. Roger was ridiculously thankful it was a Sunday, he didn't know what he would have done if it turned out to be a weekday and had to go to work after being banged up last night. 

His brain was sluggish and his face was sore, which was definitely understandable. He tried to blink as delicately as he could, not trying to irritate his eye anymore than it already was. Roger assumed he already had a very visible bruise of some sort there. It wouldn't be a pretty sight but he's gotten worse beatings in his lifetime. 

The thought that John might have headed home crossed his mind. It was sad to think about because of course Roger wanted him here. Whether it be to take care of him or to just have his presence, probably a bit of both. But his disappointment was quickly dissipated when Roger glanced around and took notice of John's clothes from last night in a pile next to the bed. Smiling happily, he closed his eyes once again and let his head rest against the headboard.

Not long after, he hears his door open. There are light footsteps he has come to recognize as John's, gentle and careful, although he probably knows Roger is awake at this point. As John nears closer, he risks a look, cracking his eyes open slightly. The sight of a messy haired John and a pair of heavy-lidded grey eyes making him smile wider, filling him with a soft and bright feeling. He was content just like this. John walking over to him and pressing a small kiss to his temple, telling him that Brian had made breakfast.

It had slipped Roger's mind that this morning was actually supposed to be Roger's turn to cook for everyone in the flat, Brian didn't seem too bothered though. What he was bothered by was the dark purple haloing Roger's right eye. He didn’t even try to cover it up. Brian would’ve seen eventually, plus it wasn’t even that big of a deal. Brian came out from the kitchen and grabbed Roger's face, inspecting the injury, fussing and scolding him for getting into another fight.

“Yeah, alright Mum.” He says exasperated, “It won't happen again.” Roger swears halfheartedly, pulls out of Brian's grip and plops himself down at the table, John taking a seat next to him. Brian grumples, definitely knowing it will happen again, but pours the both of them cups of tea anyways, John mumbles a thanks and gives him a grateful smile.

Roger wasn’t all too hungry this morning but managed to poke around his plate and take enough bites of his eggs that Brian was satisfied, setting down two pills and a glass of water. Roger raised his glass to him in thanks, “My savior.”, he said and swallowed the pills down.

 

~~~

 

John always gets fidgety whenever he doesn’t have much to do or fiddle with. Roger’s picked this up after being with John as long as he had. He knows exactly what would cheer him up, but judging from what happened last night, he wasn’t sure if John was up for it.

They hadn't done much of anything all day. It was a little after noon. Freddie had come out of his room and roped them all into playing scrabble. Roger always thought scrabble was fun, but wasn’t a big fan of Freddie cheating and then insisting whatever word he came up with is real. After a while, John and Roger had escaped to his room to try and get a bit of peace and quiet. John had picked up a book from Roger’s sparse supply, settling down on Roger’s bed as he sat next to him. If it wasn’t for Roger’s eye, he’d probably be sleeping, tucking himself against John and appreciating his warmth. Which was almost what he was doing, he was just sitting next to John, pressing shoulder to shoulder, with a bag of frozen peas cooling his eye. Except, he couldn’t help but notice that John had been stuck on the same page for the past five minutes. Plus his far away expression and long fingers scratching at the cover of the book.

“How would you feel about going back to the roller rink later?” Roger asked quietly, reaching up to take John’s fingers from the cover and intertwine theirs together. He didn’t want John’s anxiety to build inside him and to pull away or just say he’s “fine” when he’s obviously not.

“Roger…” John groaned, closing the book.

“I’m serious. Just because those guys showed up yesterday doesn’t mean we should stop going there.”

John looked over to Roger, meeting his eyes with a concentrated expression, his jaw working in thought, “I don’t know…” he trailed off. “what if they show up again?”

“Then I’ll chase them off again.” John shook his head, “John, you can’t let them take that place away from you. From us.” He squeezed John’s hand, “I know how much that place means to you. Which makes it important to me.” he gave him a gentle smile, John keeping his mouth in a contemplative, thin line. “So come on, let’s have a little more fun.”

John sighed, “What about your eye?” he reached out to stroke Roger’s cheek, careful not to touch his injury.

“I’ll be fine. I’m a big boy.” He joked, turning to press a kiss to John’s palm.

John rolled his eyes, taking his hand off Roger’s face and shifting himself to get off the bed, “Alright.” he stood up, “Let’s go.” he reached out a hand to pull Roger up. Roger grinned at him as he gripped John’s hand, only letting go for them to change, keeping their hands together until they were out of his room and making their way to the door, picking up their shoes and John’s bag. They said goodbye to Freddie and Brian, Freddie telling him he might go down to the rink later in the day, Brian warning him not to get in another fight. Roger promised he wouldn’t, picking up his trusty rounded sunglasses as they headed out.

 

~~~

John was pretty paranoid the whole way over, always checking corners and looking behind them. He also chose to wear pants this time around, which was a little rare for him but Roger didn’t want to ask why. He already knew the answer. Not to mention his constantly furrowed brows. He really looked stressed, which in turn stressed out Roger. He always seemed so calm and collected, and for Roger, John had always anchored him to reality in some way. It felt so good to be with John and he didn’t want to lose something so good to ridiculous, narrow minded people.

The rink was playing something Roger didn’t know the name of, which didn’t put him anymore in the mood to skate than he already was. If that was even possible. John probably knew the song, but Roger really didn’t care about that. If he had to pretend he was happy and excited for John, he absolutely would.

“You go ahead and set the stuff down, I’m going to go get some skates.”

“You’re going to skate with your eye all busted?” John frowned.

“John, it’s on my face. It won’t matter once were out there.” He tried to give John a comforting smile but it wasn’t working so well, judging by the look on his face. Roger tried reaching out, to give John’s arm a squeeze of reassurance, but John took a step back, eyes darting around as he sighed.

“Okay, I’ll go put my stuff down.” John turned and walked off. Roger let out an exasperated breath. He walked over to the rental counter, the employee looked concerned.

“What’s up with John?” She asked.

“He’s… paranoid.” Roger supplied.

“Really? I haven’t seen him like this in a while. It was common when he first started coming here but after that, only a few times has he ever seemed this… worried.” She looked pretty troubled by however John was acting, which definitely didn’t help how Roger was feeling.

Roger scrubbed his face with his hands, trying to ignore the emotions swirling around in his head. She moved away from the counter, coming back with his usual skates quickly. “Can you do me a favor?” He asked, pulling out his ticket he bought earlier.

“Sure.” She said, taking the ticket.

“Just put on a Blondie song. John always likes those.” He let a small smile rise to his face before it was chased away by his worry and stress.

“Of course.” She gave him a sympathetic smile, moving over to where they played the songs.

He exhaled deeply, picking up his skates and making his way to where he saw John head to. Eventually, he found where John had set his bag, but John wasn’t there. His brow creasing in confusion, he turned around, looking through the growing crowd, trying to spot a head of permed hair sticking out amongst everyone else.

“Denis” started playing then, perfect for when John is nowhere to be seen. Letting out a frustrated noise, he made his way to the bathroom. Maybe John is using it. Or maybe he’s trying to hide.

The bathroom wasn’t crowded at all, there was only one person in the stalls that he could tell. A glance at his shoes through the gap in the door revealed it to be none other than John.

“Hey, it’s me.” Roger knocked on the stall door, speaking softly, “Can you open the door?” he tried to coax him out of hiding. John had never done anything like this before and Roger really isn’t sure what he’s supposed to do. Is he supposed to leave him alone? Bust down the door and wrap his arms around John, trying to protect him from whatever he’s feeling?

Roger has no idea.

John stayed silent, so Roger tried again, “What happened?” no answer. “Please, John, I just want to help.” He should probably stop while his head is on straight, before he gets too worked up. But who would he be if he just left John like this? Definitely not Roger Meddows Taylor.

“Talk to me, okay?” Still silence. Roger took of his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose, trying to hold in his emotions. “Was it something I did?” He tried not to let the hurt, as small as it was, seep into his voice, but John could probably sense it. Roger knew it was a far stretch, but he was left in the dark here. How could he not come to the conclusion that he messed up in some way or another? He splayed his hand out on the dirty plastic door, wanting to reach out to John, to comfort him.

Before he could turn and walk out of the bathroom, the stall door creaked open, John stepped out, his face was blotchy and his hair was messier than usual. It was obvious he had been crying, the tear tracks were dry and his nose was running. His eyes were red-rimmed and wide. Roger couldn’t help but deepen his frown at the sight, it made him sad to see someone he cared so much about be hurting so obviously.

“It wasn’t anything you did Rog.” John held eye contact, his strong gaze assuring him. 

Roger waited for him to continue, and when he didn’t, he reached out an unsteady hand and rested it on the nape of his neck, moving closer. “Then what happened?”

John hesitated, “There was too many people,” he closed his eyes, “I felt like… they were all watching me, you know. Like, they knew.” He opened his eyes, swallowing thickly, he met Roger’s eyes again.

“Like they knew what? I mean, all the regulars know we’re dating. You didn’t seem to mind before…” but maybe you do now? Roger was confused. He couldn’t ever say he’s had any severe anxiety before, which made everything John was saying and doing hard to understand. Plus the fact that he has never dated or messed around with anyone who was quite like John. He never really dated in general, but John was different.

“No, the, you know, people who came around yesterday.” John was getting worked up now too. Well, more than he had been a short while ago. His eyes were getting glassy and his hands tensed at his sides. “The ones that…”

“I know.” He pulled John into a tight hug. John let out a muffled, wounded noise that made Roger bury his face into his neck. John wrapped his arms around him, bringing him impossibly closer.

Roger knew this would far from solve everything, but he needed little comforts like this. Being close to John right now is probably the best thing he could do at that point, for both of them. Not that he really knew how to comfort in a different way.

He brought his hand into John’s hair, stroking the soft curls. Roger leaned back from the embrace, wiping his sleeve under John’s eyes and across his cheeks. Stroking his thumb across John’s cheek, he gave his slack mouth a small, but no less meaningful, peck.

“How about we go out and skate. I asked Jess to put on a Blondie song but I doubt it’s still going.” He smirked, trying to lighten the mood grinning when he saw a smile grow on John’s face.

He sighed, smile fading, “Fine. But first, let me…” he moved out of their embrace, making his way to the sink. He splashed water onto his face, trying to cool it down. The evidence that he was crying was probably still there, but hopefully with the dim lighting, no one would notice it. Except for Roger of course. After drying it off, he turned to where Roger had come to stand behind him. “Let’s go.” He grabbed Roger’s hand tightly, probably still a bit shaken up or nervous. Roger put his glasses back on, smiling at John.

John led them out of the bathroom, “I need some water first though. Go and put your skates on, I’ll be over in a second.” he kissed Roger’s cheek as he made his way over to the water fountain. Roger smiled to himself, laughing as he felt the heat rise to his cheeks.

He was relatively proud of himself for getting John out of the bathroom. It seemed he was feeling better, so if that was true, even just a little bit, Roger was satisfied. They’re both trying for each other, Roger is confident that’s a good thing.

Everything was just as he left it, he didn’t think anyone would steal their stuff, but you can’t trust everyone these days.

He took off his shoes, and was just about to slip his skates on when a pair of feet appeared in front of him that definitely weren’t John’s. Looking up, he blanched. It was that drunk guy’s friend from yesterday. Roger shot up quickly, looking towards the water fountain. John was still there. Good.

He grabbed the man’s arm roughly, dragging him away from their table as fast as he could with his sock-clad feet, despite the man’s protests.

Only once he got them to a more secluded area did Roger confront the man, keeping his strong grip on his arm, snarling, “I can’t believe you had the nerve-”

“Hold on, okay! Let me explain.” He shrunk away from Roger, trying to back away, but that certainly wasn’t going to happen with Roger’s grip on him.

“Where’s the other guy,” Roger spat, “Michael?”

“He’s home with a really bad hangover. He was beyond drunk, you have to realize that!” He pleaded, trying to calm Roger down. That would be hard to do at this point.

“I don’t care how smashed he was. He insulted me. He insulted John. He insulted us-”

“Yeah, I know. Why do you think I’m here?”

“What do you mean?” Roger’s grip loosened on the man’s jacket. His face never loosing its anger and warning.

“I came to apologize.” He said, breathless.

“For him? Sorry, but he’s the one who was being an ass. You practically did nothing.”

“Then why are you holding me hostage?” He whined, “I didn’t come here to do anything else, just talk.”

Roger then seemed to notice how hard he’d been gripping the man, becoming aggravated at him even though he had actually helped drag Michael away. Taking a steady breath, Roger let go of his arm and took a cautious step back, glancing around to make sure John hasn’t found them.

“I could have you thrown out of here.” Roger glared at him warningly, shooting daggers his way.

“Please just- let me explain.” He pleaded, exasperatedly.

Roger thought about it, he really could get someone to drag him out, he had enough connections, thanks to John. But that would definitely draw attention. He really didn’t want John finding out this guy was here, it could send him in a spiral all over again.

“Fine. You have five minutes.”

“Michael… he has, uh, family problems.” He started, somewhat nervous to tell Roger this.

“Yeah, don’t we all?” Roger snapped.

“His father was abusive. Always talked down to him and called him horrible things. Much like what he was yelling at you yesterday.”

Roger couldn’t help his features soften at that. As fast as he was to get angry, he was still very empathetic and forgiving. Sometimes he really hated it, but he can’t stand when people are suffering. He tightened his jaw, trying to keep his resolve.

“He has this kind of… internalized homophobia, I guess?” 

Roger almost didn’t catch the last part, he said it so softly. The man looked down, but Roger noticed his face reddening. He didn’t realize it was like that. So the two of them are… a couple? But obviously Michael doesn’t think too highly of homosexuals. Internalized homophobia indeed. “Oh.” Was all he could say. His face had gone soft at this point, probably a mix of sympathetic and sad.

“Yeah… so, he really isn’t that bad,” He assured him, looking back up, “sometimes he just has his moments.” he smiled sadly. “My name’s Andrew. Again, I’m severely sorry for everything,” he stuck out his hand. “And that black eye he gave you.” Andrew added as an afterthought, wincing at the sight.

“I guess these glasses don’t hide it well enough, huh?” Roger huffed a laugh, shaking Andrew’s hand as he shook his head.

“I guess not.” He chuckled, “Well, I should probably head out. Thank you for understanding.” Andrew gave him a solemn nod before taking his leave, weaving through the crowd until he made it through the door. Just as quick as he came, he left.

Roger understood. He could relate to both of them in some way or another. In the beginning, he didn’t want to accept he was different. Especially in such a controversial way. He’s even been with men before who claimed they weren’t gay and weren't interesting in men, although they were spending the night with Roger. That never went down well.

John was at the table when he eventually went back, shooting him a questioning look and glancing down at his socks.”Where were you?” He asked as he began lacing up his own skates.

Roger smiled, “An old friend stopped by, I just went to say hi.” which was a complete lie, but John wouldn’t know.

John eyed him, “In your socks?” He laughed.

“Yes in my socks. What, would you not want to talk to me in my socks?” Roger faked offense, picking his foot off the ground and shoving it right up to John’s face, who moved away just before the sock met his nose. Roger burst out laughing as John made a face of disgust, having to sit down before he fell over.

“You need to change your socks more.”John couldn’t help but grin, letting out a few soft giggles that grew louder as Roger doubled over.

“That’s a waste of good socks!” He yelled in between laughs, “they’re fiiiiiiine.” he chuckled, sighing as the laughing wore off. Roger slung an arm over John’s shoulder, giving him a weird side hug, as he rested his forehead against his temple. John let out a content noise, leaning into the touch.

They were able to lace up their skates just as “Ring My Bell” by Anita Ward came over the speakers. Roger looked over to John, overcome with something… he’s sure he’s never felt anything like this before. If he was being honest, it was kind of scary. Knowing how much he’d do for John even though they had known each other for a relatively short time. Maybe he would tell John how much he means to him one day, maybe he’ll have enough courage to.

For now, he’s fine with just being there for him and anything he needs. Actions speak louder than words, anyways. John caught him staring, sticking his tongue out and squinting his eyes. Roger smiled widely, he hoped people saw how much John mattered to him. John grabbed his hand and pulled him up, dragging him out to the rink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  Hi-ho lads and lassies! I’m very sorry about getting this out late. My personal life has been shit recently. I’ve picked up some of my bad habits that I’ve never really given up, but it’s gotten worse from last time. Not to mention my seasonal depression that always comes in the summer. Sorry if this chapter seems choppy. I have a ton of ideas but I tend to abandon WIPS a lot. I might be taking a break for a little bit from writing but I’ll write more stuff soon. We’ll see!
> 
> Anyways, thank you all for reading! I’m going to add this work to a collection so if I ever want to write for this AU in the future (which I hope to do), I’ll add it there. Don’t forget to subscribe to it.
> 
> Check out my tumblr if you haven’t yet! : Cooked-Rat . I’m very active on there. I reblog a ton of things and occasionally post random stuff about my personal life.
> 
> Love you all lots!
> 
> -Ratty xx
> 
> P.S. : I’ll try and write smut for this. I rEaLLy WAnT to bUt it’S haRd. (the pun may or may not be intended, you decide)
> 
>  
> 
> This is the picture I imagine Roger as for this fic. Look at those sunglasses, pHeW  
> https://66.media.tumblr.com/a05ff2a2e8709050654b7bac3ca1882f/tumblr_pncscfs8nO1tn72l4_1280.jpg 
> 
> I imagine John from the Hot Space era. I loved his short perm then. Just look at the pictures from Hot Space :)  
> https://images.app.goo.gl/452qDNCYBUt75yEW9 
> 
> PLEASE LOOK AT THIS PICTURE I-  
> https://cooked-rat.tumblr.com/image/185331545389 
> 
>  
> 
> Chapter title from "Denis" by Blondie


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